Former league MVP brings stability at QB for Knight Hawks

For the first time in his professional football career, Vegas Knight Hawks quarterback Daquan Neal was sidelined by an injury.

The 2019 Indoor Football League MVP hadn’t missed a game in high school, college or his three previous sessions in the IFL, but missed three games earlier this season with a hamstring injury.

In his absence, Neal said his appreciation grew for the opportunity to play the sport he loves.

“Being back and being healthy, you don’t take anything for granted,” Neal said, “Once you’re on the field, you need to have fun. At the end of the day, we get paid to play football.”

Neal has given the Knight Hawks stability at the quarterback position. He’s second in the IFL averaging 225 yards of offense per game, while throwing for 1,784 yards and 35 touchdowns.

“Anytime you can get a former MVP and a veteran leader, it helps the team,” Knight Hawks coach Mike Davis said. “Unfortunately, he missed some games due to injury and it kind of hampered us a little bit, but he’s healthy now.”

Davis said Neal isn’t the loudest guy in the locker room and leads the Knight Hawks by example. As they’ve dealt with injuries at wide receiver, Davis credited Neal’s leadership for helping the offense stay together.

Neal, a Franklinton, North Carolina, native, played college football at Division II school Elizabeth City State University in his home state. After graduating in 2018, Neal began his professional football career with the IFL’s Iowa Barnstormers in 2019.

The 6-foot, 2-inch quarterback had a loud coming-out party to the league that season when he became the first rookie to be named MVP. Neal threw for a 71 percent competition percentage with 2,642 yards and 59 touchdowns to win the award.

The IFL canceled its 2020 season after two games were played due to the pandemic. Neal returned to the Barnstormers in 2021 and played last season with the Tucson Sugar Skulls, where he threw for 2,342 yards and 50 touchdowns.

Neal attempted to try out with the USFL this season, but was cut before training camp. Davis then reached out to help Neal keep his spirits up, and that text message was the beginning of making the former league MVP the Knight Hawks’ quarterback.

During his time in the IFL, Neal said there’s been a shift in the league to a greater emphasis on dual-threat quarterbacks. He’s learned the importance of the quarterback being able to make plays on their own and improvise quickly to be successful.

“(Neal is) such a good athlete at the quarterback position,” Davis said. “It’s an extra body out there you have to account for. When he gets out in space, he’s dynamic. He’s a better passer than people give him credit for … He’s been great this season.”

The Knight Hawks sit 4-9 and in last place in the seven-team IFL Western Conference with two games remaining in the season. And while the team is on a five-game losing streak, Neal said there hasn’t been any give-up in the locker room.

“Everybody’s been playing hard,” Neal said. “That’s one thing you can’t complain about with us is our effort. The X’s and O’s, we’re getting there. We’ve got the last few weeks here to tighten it up.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.